5 suspended Newark principals reinstated, but 2 will not be allowed back to their schools

Mayoral candidate Ras Baraka, pictured here standing outside Weequahic High School in Newark, convened a meeting to oppose the new district plan. Four principals were suspended days after appearing at that meeting. (Frances Micklow/The Star-Ledger)

Four Newark school principals who were suspended after attending a rally opposing Superintendent Cami Anderson’s school restructuring plan can return to their jobs, though one has been reassigned, officials said yesterday.

A fifth principal involved in an unrelated incident has also been reassigned, an official said.

Matthew Frankel, a spokesman for the Newark public schools, said the five had been placed on paid suspension while officials investigated “serious concerns” that went beyond speaking at a public meeting.

District officials said an administrative investigation found some of the superintendents guilty of “misconduct” for denying families access to accurate and complete information. They would not provide specifics, citing “confidential personnel matters.”

But Leonard Pugliese, executive director of the City Association of Supervisors and Administrators, the union representing Newark principals and other chief school administrators, said Dorothy Handfield of Belmont Runyan School returned to her job today while H. Grady James of Hawthorne Avenue School and Tony Motley of Bragaw Avenue School will return Monday.

Deneen Washington of Maple Avenue School and Lisa Brown of Ivy Hill School were told to report to the district’s central office Monday, Pugliese said.

The paid suspensions began last Friday, two days after Handfield, James, Motley and Washington appeared at a community meeting to rally opposition to Anderson’s One Newark plan, which affects students in one-quarter of the district’s schools. The meeting was organized by mayoral candidate and Newark Councilman Ras Baraka, a vocal opponent of Anderson’s plan who is on leave from his position as principal of Central High school.

Brown was suspended after an incident, also on Jan. 15, involving Daryn Martin, head of the parent teacher organization at Ivy Hill School. Martin has been banned from the all district facilities until June 30 for an altercation with an assistant superintendent who was visiting the school. A criminal investigation has been launched, the district said.

“The investigation concluded misconduct by some principals and raised issues that families were being denied access to accurate and complete information,” Frankel said in a statement. “We stand firmly by our obligation to ensure safety, enforce families’ rights, and protect student learning. The Superintendent remains focused on prioritizing the many issues that should unite us and will continue to do what is in the best interest for Newark’s children.”

Pugliese said the union was pleased with the outcome of the “so-called investigation.” “But this does not conclude C.A.S.A.’s advocacy,” he said. “We believe these re-assignments are inappropriate and we will be fighting them. It is our understanding that there may be further charges against (Brown). Ultimately, we’ll address them as they come along.”

In addition, the union will purse the cases of the three principals who have been returned to their positions, Pugliese said.

“We believe harm was done because of the suspensions in the first place, and our legal team is reviewing our legal options moving forward,” he said.

The union brought in Diann Woodard, president of the American Federation of School Administrators, AFL-CIO, who met with four of the five principals on Thursday, Pugliese said.

“It was big that she flew in,” he said. “She offered the full support of AFSA in this continuing struggle.”

None of the principals could be reached for comment. Pugliese said the union has advised them not to speak to the media.

Martin, the parent leader at Ivy Hill, expressed shock at the removal of Brown, who he said had improved the school and helped the students to meet the state benchmarks.

“If this is really about the kids, you’d keep the best leader you can get at the school and that would be Lisa Brown,” he said. “We will fight diligently to make sure she gets back home, and that home is Ivy Hill. That’s where she belongs.”